Vacuum Cleaner Cleanout System

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to features for use with vacuum cleaners, such as upright vacuum cleaners, commercial vacuums, wet extractors, stick vacuums, canister vacuums, central vacuums, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vacuum cleaning devices, such as upright and canister vacuum cleaners, wet extractors, stick vacuums, electric brooms and other devices, are in widespread use as tools to clean floors, upholstery, stairs, and other surfaces. Known vacuum cleaning devices have various features that are intended to improve their utility or cleaning effectiveness. For example, some vacuum cleaners include features for mounting power cords. Another feature is the provision of various types of cleaning tools. Still other features relate to vacuum cleaner motors, bag filters or cyclone separators, and air flow management systems.

While the prior art provides various features relating to cleaning effectiveness and user convenience, there still exists a need for improvement of and alternative designs for these and other features of vacuum cleaning devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first exemplary aspect, there is provided a vacuum cleaner having an inlet nozzle, a dirt collection chamber having a chamber opening, and a lid adapted to selectively close the chamber opening. The lid includes a lid passage that extends between a lid inlet and a lid outlet, and the lid outlet is in fluid communication with the dirt collection chamber. A dirty air inlet passage is fluidly connected between the inlet nozzle and the lid inlet. A fan is provided and adapted to convey dirty air into the inlet nozzle, through the dirty air inlet passage, through the lid passage, and into the dirt collection chamber. The lid passage includes a removable lid passage portion that can be removed to expose at least a portion of the lid passage to allow removal of obstructions from the lid passage.

In another exemplary aspect, there is provided an upright vacuum cleaner having an inlet nozzle, a dirt collection chamber having a chamber opening, and a lid adapted to selectively close the chamber opening. The lid includes a lid passage extending between a lid inlet and a lid outlet, and the lid outlet is in fluid communication with the dirt collection chamber. A dirty air inlet passage is fluidly connected between the inlet nozzle and the lid inlet. A fan is provided and adapted to convey dirty air into the inlet nozzle, through the dirty air inlet passage, through the lid passage, and into the dirt collection chamber. The lid passage includes a removable lid passage portion that can be removed to expose at least a portion of the lid passage to allow removal of obstructions from the lid passage.

In another exemplary aspect, there is provided a vacuum cleaner having an inlet nozzle, a dirt collection chamber, a dirty air inlet passage fluidly connected between the inlet nozzle and the dirt collection chamber, a fan adapted to convey dirty air into the inlet nozzle, through the dirty air inlet passage, and into the dirt collection chamber, and a power cord adapted to provide electrical power to the vacuum cleaner. The power cord terminates at a power cord plug, and a plug recess is formed in a surface of the vacuum cleaner and adapted to hold the power cord plug while the power cord plug is providing electrical power to the vacuum cleaner.

The recitation of this summary of the invention is not intended to limit the claimed invention. Other aspects, embodiments, modifications to and features of the claimed invention will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in view of the disclosures herein. Furthermore, this recitation of the summary of the invention, and the other disclosures provided herein, are not intended to diminish the scope of the claims in this or any prior or subsequent related or unrelated application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is described in detail with reference to the examples of embodiments shown in the following figures in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals.

FIG. 1 is a front isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of an upright vacuum cleaner of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear isometric view of the exemplary vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partially-exploded and fragmented view of the base of the exemplary vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partially-exploded and fragmented view of the rear housing of the exemplary vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmented side view of the rear housing of the exemplary vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a fragmented isometric view of the bag chamber and lid of the exemplary vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an exploded isometric view of the accessory valve and related components of the exemplary vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a cutaway side view of the accessory valve and related components of the exemplary vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of an exemplary vacuum tube adapter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTIONS

The present disclosure provides numerous inventive features for vacuum cleaners. A number of these features and alternative embodiments of the invention are described with reference to their exemplary use in an upright vacuum cleaner, such as the vacuum cleaner 100 shown in FIG. 1. It will be appreciated, however, that the features described herein can be used in various other contexts. For example, the various features described herein can be used with canister vacuums, stick vacuums, portable and handheld vacuums, shop vacuums, wet extractors, central vacuum systems, and so on. Furthermore, the various features described herein may be used separately from one another or in any suitable combination. The present disclosure illustrating the use of the various inventions described herein is not intended to limit the inventions in any way.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the exemplary vacuum cleaner 100 comprises a base 102 to which a rear housing 104 is pivotally mounted. A handle 106 extends upwardly from the rear housing 104 and terminates at a grip 108 that is adapted to be held by an operator to guide the vacuum cleaner 100 during use.

In the exemplary embodiment, the base 102 is supported at the rear by a pair of rear wheels 110, and at the front by front wheels 112. In one embodiment, the two front wheels 112 may be replaced by a single wheel or more than two wheels. If desired, the front or rear wheels 110, 112 may be mounted to the base 102 such that they can be elevated or lowered, to thereby regulate how the base 102 addresses or moves on the surface being cleaned. For example, the front wheels 112 may be mounted on a movable carriage 114, which may be moved vertically by a height control 116, as known in the art. Of course, alternative height adjustment mechanisms may be provided, or this feature may be omitted.

The base 102 includes a downwardly-facing floor inlet nozzle 202 that is positioned to address a surface over which the base 102 moves, and acts as a primary suction inlet for the vacuum cleaner 100. The inlet nozzle 202 may be laterally elongated, and may include a brushroll 204 or other agitating device disposed therein. Brushrolls and other agitators are known in the art. The brushroll 204 is covered by a sole plate 206, in which the inlet nozzle 202 may be formed, and which may help hold the brushroll 204 in place. If desired, the sole plate 206 may be fabricated from a smooth material, such as stainless steel, magnesium or hard plastic, to help it glide over surfaces without snagging on them or scratching them.

As shown in FIG. 3, the exemplary base 102 may comprise a multi-part structure having a frame 302 and one or more covers. In this case, a front cover 304 and a rear cover 306 are provided to overlie the top of the frame 302. The frame 302 and/or covers 304, 306 may include functional features, such as a bumper to protect furniture and walls, windows to view into the base 102, a headlight (which may instead be provided on the rear housing 104), and the like. The inlet nozzle 202 may be formed in the underside of the frame 302 as part of a brushroll chamber 308 that contains the brushroll 204. In the shown embodiment, the brushroll chamber 308 is fluidly connected to the vacuum source, such as a fan and motor 422 (FIG. 4), by a base outlet 310.

The rear wheels 110 may be mounted to the base 102 by any conventional mechanism, such as individual stub axles that are mounted in a cantilevered manner into the base frame 302. Such stub axles are known in the art. In the shown embodiment, both wheels 110 are mounted by a single axle 208 that extends across the full width of the base 102, as best shown in FIG. 2. The axle 208 may be bent along its length to form a generally U-shaped structure, which may allow the rear housing 104 to pivot downwardly and rearwardly with respect to the base 102 further than would be possible if the axle 208 extended straight between the two rear wheels 106. The bent axle 208 also may allow the rear housing 104 to be made wider, and the base 102 to be made with less plastic material, because the axle 208 may distribute the weight of the vacuum cleaner 100 better than stub axles would, making it unnecessary to provide the base 102 with large, sturdy bosses into which conventional stub axles typically mount. The axle 208 may be mounted to the base 102 in any suitable way. For example, the axle 208 may be fitted into a groove 210 that extends along the width of the base frame 302 and retained by snaps and/or retaining plates 212. Such retaining plates 212 may be secured by screws 214 or other means, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure.

Any kind of front or rear wheel 112, 110 may be used. The exemplary rear wheels 110 comprise hard plastic hubs 312 having resilient coatings 314, such as a urethane coating having a hardness of about 78A to 82A. Such a construction is expected to provide suitable low-slip contact with typical household surfaces and help absorb shocks that might be transmitted to the user during use. Each rear wheel 110 may be mounted to the axle 208 by two bearings 316, and retained by a threaded fastener, a push nut 318 or other known devices. A spacer 320 may be provided between the bearings 316, if desired, to maintain their proper axial spacing. A washer 322 may be provided inboard of each rear wheels 106 to limit its movement and prevent interference with the base frame 302. The exemplary washers 322 slide over the axle 208 and engage protrusions 324 that limit the movement of the washers and wheels towards the center of the base 102.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, the base may include various other features, such as a handle release mechanism 118, a brushroll motor status light 120, or a brushroll motor reset switch 122. The handle release mechanism 118 is positioned where a user can press it with his foot to release a pivot lock between the base 102 and rear housing 104. Such devices are known in the art. The motor status light 120 and motor reset switch 122 are provided to monitor and reset a brushroll motor 326 mounted in the base 102. The brushroll motor 326 is mounted in the base 102 and drives the brushroll 204 through a belt 328 or other mechanism. An electric switch 330 may be provided to automatically deenergize the brushroll motor 326 whenever the rear housing 104 is elevated to the full upright position, which may be useful to help prevent the brushroll 204 from damaging carpets or other surfaces.

The status light 120 and reset switch 122 may be conveniently mounted to the base frame 302 by a single mounting block 332, but this is not required. In addition, the status light 120 and reset switch 122 may be made visible to the user by one or more openings through the base 102, such as holes 334 through the rear base cover 306.

The brushroll motor 326 may be mounted by simple fasteners, straps, or any other suitable mechanism. The exemplary brushroll motor 326 is mounted in the base frame 302 beneath a brushroll motor cover 336. The cover 336 generally isolates the brushroll motor 326 in an enclosed brushroll motor chamber formed partly by the cover 336 and partly by the base frame 302, however one or more air inlets 338 and one or more air outlets 340 are formed through the cover 336 (or the base frame 302) to allow air to pass through the brushroll motor chamber to cool the motor 326. If natural convection is insufficient to cool the motor 326, a fan (not shown) may be mounted on the motor 326 to generate this cooling air flow. Alternatively, the outlet 340 may be fluidly connected to the base outlet 310 by a hose 342. In this embodiment, operating the vacuum fan 422 generates a negative pressure in the vacuum cleaner to draw air into the base outlet 310 by way of the motor cover inlets 338. This air flow cools the motor 326 and conveys dirt and debris generated by the motor 326 (such as carbon dust produced by the motor brushes) into the vacuum system to be cleaned from the air.

The base 102 also includes features for mounting it to the rear housing 104. For example, the base frame 302 may include semi-circular recesses 344 into which corresponding bosses 416 (FIG. 4) on the rear housing 104 fit. Straps 346 enclose the top halves of the bosses 416 to hold them in place in the recesses 344, and form a pivot attachment between the base 102 and rear housing 104. Such devices and alternatives thereto are known in the art.

It will be understood, of course, that the foregoing base arrangement may be modified or altered in any number of ways, and various parts may be omitted or added in other embodiments of the invention. For example, in one alternative, the brushroll motor 326 may be omitted, and the belt 328 may be adapted to be driven by a shaft protruding from the vacuum fan motor, as known in the art. As another example, the brushroll motor 326 may be mounted within the brushroll 204 itself. These and other variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, an exemplary embodiment of a vacuum cleaner rear housing 104 is shown and described in detail. The rear housing 104 comprises a main housing 402, which may be formed integrally or as an assembly of parts. A lifting handle 222 may be provided on the back of the housing 402, as shown in FIG. 2. In the exemplary embodiment, the handle 106 fits into a groove 404 in the front of the main housing 402, and is secured in place by one or more fasteners (not shown). Of course, the handle 106 and grip 108 (as well as various other parts) may instead be formed as part of the main housing 402, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

In one embodiment, the grip 108 may include a plug recess 124 adapted to receive and hold a power plug 126. The plug recess 124 preferably provides a recessed area into which the power plug 126 partially or wholly fits such that it does not substantially protrude or does not protrude at all from the vacuum cleaner surface, making it less likely to catch on objects during use. In the shown embodiment, a first cord catch 128 comprising a pair of resilient fingers is provided at one end of the plug recess 124 to hold the power cord 130 immediately adjacent the power plug 126. Similarly, a second cord catch 132, comprising a second pair of resilient fingers, is provided at the other end of the plug recess 124 to hold an electrical extension cord (not shown) into which the power plug 126 fits. Preferably, the plug recess 124 is large enough to hold both the power plug 126 and the plug receptacle (not shown) on the extension cord, but this is not strictly required. Using this arrangement, the power plug 126 and the extension cord can both be securely held in the plug recess 124, with the cord catches 128, 130 helping to hold the two cords together. Of course, the cord catches 128, 130 may comprise other kinds of grips or latches, and they may be replaced or supplemented by catches that hold the power plug 126 itself.

In the shown embodiment, the plug recess 124 is formed as a void area within a hand guard 134 that extends along the length of the grip 108 and is joined to the grip at each end. The guard 134 helps protect the operator from striking his fingers on objects as he uses the vacuum cleaner 100. If desired, the guard 134 may be shortened so that it does not extend to each end of the grip 108, or omitted entirely, in which case the plug recess 124 may be omitted or moved elsewhere. In other alternative embodiments, the plug recess 124 may be moved to other locations, such as along the handle 106 or in the rear housing 104. The plug recess 124 also may be replaced with an offset plug mounting arrangement that holds the power plug 126 away from the surface of the vacuum cleaner, rather than nesting the power plug 126 within a recess in the vacuum cleaner's surface. In alternative embodiments, the vacuum cleaner 100 may be battery powered, in which case there may not be a power plug 126 or power cord 130.

In the shown embodiment, the power cord 130 is a relatively short cord that enters the top of the main housing 402 at an opening 136 located adjacent a power switch 138. It will be understood, however, that the power cord 130 may enter the vacuum cleaner 100 at any suitable location, and the power switch 138 may be located elsewhere, such as on the grip 108 or base 102. The short power cord 130 is provided on the exemplary vacuum cleaner 100 because it has been found that vacuum cleaner power cords are sometimes damaged by being run over by the vacuum cleaner, closed in doors, caught on furniture edges, and so on. When damaged, the power cord can be costly or difficult to repair or replace. Thus, the short cord 130 is provided with the intention that users connect the short cord 130 to a longer extension cord, which are typically relatively inexpensive and easy to replace. As described immediately above, exemplary embodiments of the invention may include a specific mounting feature, such as the plug recess 124, for holding the power cord 130 and the extension cord. In other embodiments, however, the short cord 130 may be replaced by a longer cord so that the vacuum cleaner 100 does not require an extension cord to operate. In such cases, the longer cord may be retractable into the rear housing 104 or base 102, or it may have a fixed length.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, an exemplary embodiment also includes one or more cord retainer hooks that may be used to store a power cord or a separate extension cord on the vacuum cleaner 100. A first cord hook 140 is located at the upper end of the handle 106, and may optionally be provided as part of a combined grip 108, guard 124 and hook 140 structure. The first cord hook 140 comprises a hook-shaped device having an upwardly-extending projection 142. The projection 142 is adapted to retain a cord against the handle 106 when the cord is looped over the top of the cord hook 140. The entire hook and projection structure may be a single molded or formed part, or the projection 142 may be formed separately. The shown projection is pivotally mounted on the hook 140 to rotate downward or outward to release the cord. For example, the projection 142 is pivotally mounted such that it can be rotated about an axis 144 extending longitudinally with respect to the housing (i.e., in the fore-aft direction). When the projection is turned to point downwards (i.e., towards the base 102), a cord can slide 0forwards and off of the hook 140. Such pivoting hooks are known in the art.

A second cord retainer hook 146 is provided towards the bottom of the handle 106. The second hook 146 may have any suitable construction, but in the shown exemplary embodiment the second hook 146 comprises a fold-away hook that can be extended from the rear housing surface for use, and retracted into or generally flush with the rear housing surface for storage. For example, the shown fold-away hook 146 can pivot downwards to a position in which it is generally flush with the rear housing 104 surface, where it is less likely to catch on surfaces (such as the bottoms of chairs and tables) during use. As best shown in FIG. 4, the second hook 146 may be pivotally attached to the bottom of the handle 106 by a pin 406. The pin 406 fits into a mounting block 408, which is fitted into the bottom of the hollow handle 106. Thus, these parts can be assembled prior to installing the handle 106 into the groove 404 in the front of the main housing 402. This exemplary construction also is advantageous because forces applied to the second hook 146 can be distributed along the length of the handle and spread out before being conveyed to the main housing 402. Of course, one could instead mount the second hook 146 directly to the rear housing 104, use a sliding attachment instead of a pivoting attachment, or otherwise modify the foregoing embodiment, if desired.

As shown in FIG. 5, the second hook 146 pivots on the pin 406 to extend away from the main housing 402. Contact between the hook 146 and the block 408 or other surfaces limits the pivoting travel of the hook 146. When the second hook 146 is extended, a power cord can be looped around the hook's lower surface 502, which is shaped to retain the cord against the main housing 402. The lower surface 502 also may provide a grip for the user to hold the vacuum cleaner 100. In such a case, the second hook 146 may be positioned towards the bottom of the rear housing 104, such as in the shown embodiment, to provide a handle that is useful to lift the vacuum cleaner 100 to clean stairs and other elevated surfaces.

It will be seen from the foregoing exemplary embodiment that a user can repeatedly loop a power cord or extension cord over the first hook 140 and under the second hook 146 to store it on the vacuum cleaner 100. This construction can be varied in numerous ways. For example, the first hook 140 may also be a fold-away hook that stores generally flush against the handle 106. Also, the two hooks 140, 146 may be moved to other parts or areas of the vacuum cleaner 100. These and other variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings provided herein.

Referring back to FIG. 4, the exemplary rear housing 104 also includes a motor compartment 410 located at the bottom of the main housing 402. A fan motor assembly 412 fits in the motor compartment, and is encased by a motor cover 414. Cylindrical mounting bosses 416 may be provided on either side of the motor compartment 410 to mount the rear housing 104 to the base 102, as described previously herein.

As shown in the exemplary embodiment, the fan motor assembly 412 comprises an upper shroud 418 and a lower shroud 420 that encase a vacuum fan and electric motor 422. Of course, the shrouds 418420 may be modified to encase the fan and motor 422 from different directions, such as by providing front and rear or left-side and right-side shrouds. The shrouds also may be omitted. The fan and motor 422 are connected to one another, and when the motor is energized by turning on the power switch 138, it drives the fan to generate a vacuum, as known in the art.

The fan and motor 422 may be oriented such that the motor shaft and fan impeller rotate about a generally vertical axis 424 that is generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the rear housing 104. The shrouds 418, 420 comprise a shroud inlet 426 that is fluidly connected to the fan inlet, and a shroud outlet 428 that is fluidly connected to the fan outlet. As shown, the inlet 426 and outlet 428 may be positioned on the upper surface of the upper shroud 418. When the fan and motor 422 are assembled into the shrouds 418, 420 and placed in the motor compartment, the shroud inlet 426 is in fluid communication with a dirt collection chamber, such as a bag chamber 430, and the shroud outlet 428 is in fluid communication with a post-motor filter chamber 432. To help ensure an air-tight fit between these parts, a seal or seals 436 may be provided around the shroud inlet and outlet 426, 428 and their connections to the bag and filter chambers 430, 432. Additionally, one or both of the shrouds 418, 420 may have ramped surfaces 434 that press against corresponding surfaces 436 in the motor compartment 410 or motor cover 414 to press the shroud inlet and outlet 426, 428 against these seals 436 as the shrouds are being installed into the motor compartment 410.

The foregoing arrangement is expected to increase the serviceability of the vacuum cleaner 100. In particular, the motor cover 414 may be removed without removing the rear housing 104 from the base 102 by tilting the rear housing 104 backwards relative to the base 102, making it relatively easy to install and remove the fan/motor/shroud assembly for service or replacement. Of course, these features are not required for all embodiments of the invention, and other arrangements and orientations for the fan and motor, the shrouds (if used), and motor cover may be used. For example, the fan and motor may be located between the nozzle inlet 202 and the bag chamber 430, in which case the fan would be exposed to the incoming dirty air, and the bag chamber 430 would operate under positive pressure, rather than negative pressure.

As noted above, an embodiment of the vacuum cleaner 100 may include one or more post-motor filter chambers 432, if desired. Such a post-motor filter chamber 432 may be mounted on the side of the main housing 402 or elsewhere. In addition, this chamber 432 may be shaped to encourage even distribution of air across a filter mounted therein. For example, the shown post-motor filter chamber 432 has an air inlet 438 that is connected to the shroud outlet 428, and the chamber 432 narrows slightly as it becomes more distant from the inlet 438, this shape is expected to help distribute air passing through the chamber more evenly through a post-motor filter 440 provided to cover the chamber 432.

If used, the post-motor filter 440 can comprise any suitable filtration medium. For example, the post-motor filter 440 may comprise a pleated high efficiency filter (such as a HEPA or ULPA filter), a flat filter, or the like. In the exemplary shown embodiment, the post-motor filter 440 comprises a pleated HEPA filter medium 442 that is bonded to or captured beneath a rigid filter housing 444. The housing 444 includes one or more holes 446 through which air can pass to exhaust out of the post-motor filter 440. The pleated filter medium 442 is visible through these holes 446. The post-motor filter housing 444 may be held in place by separate latches, or may include integrally constructed latches. For example, the post-motor filter housing 444 may include rigid tabs 448 at one end, and a resilient tab 450 at the other end, as shown. The rigid tabs 448 fit into slots 452 adjacent the bottom of the post-motor filter chamber 432, and the resilient tab 450 can be deflected to snap under a corresponding protrusion 454 at the top of the post-motor filter chamber 432. The post-motor filter 440 can be removed by pressing down on the resilient tab 450 and pulling it away from the main housing 402. Other suitable post-motor filter arrangements will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein.

The exemplary embodiment includes a bag chamber 430, which is positioned generally above motor compartment 410, but these orientations may be reversed or otherwise modified. The bag chamber 430 is adapted to receive a filter bag 456, which may be installed by dropping it in through the opened top of the bag chamber 430. A flange 457 may be provided at the top of the bag 456 to prevent it from falling into the bag chamber 430. Any suitable bag 456 may be used. In other embodiments, the bag chamber 430 may have a side opening instead of a top opening, as known in the art. The bag chamber 430 also may be replaced by a cyclone separator or other kinds of filtration or dirt separation device. A pre-motor filter 458 may be provided at the bottom of the bag chamber 430 to cover the shroud inlet 426, as known in the art. Any suitable filter, such as an open-cell foam filter, may be used. A grille 460 may be provided to cover the filter and prevent the bottom of the bag 456 from resting against and potentially blocking or severely limiting airflow into the post-motor filter 458 and/or shroud inlet 426. Similarly, the interior walls of the bag chamber 430 may include ribs 462 to prevent the bag from pressing tightly against the walls and potentially blocking or limiting airflow. Such ribs are known in the art.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 6, the exemplary embodiment includes a bag chamber lid 464 that covers the bag 456 when it is installed, and may additionally connect the bag 456 to a dirty air inlet tube 466 that conveys dirty air to the bag 456. The lid 464 may be removably attached to the main housing 402, or slideably or pivotally attached thereto. In the shown embodiment, the lid 464 is pivotally attached to the main housing 402 by an elongated pivot pin 468 that fits into a first tubular loop 470 on the main housing 402, and second tubular loops 472 on the lid (see FIG. 2). Variations on this pivot or other types of attachment may be used instead. The lid 464 can pivot from a closed position shown in FIG. 1, to an open position shown in FIG. 6. The lid 464 may be held by one or more resilient, snap-fitting parts, or a mechanical latch. For example, a lid latch 474 may be pivotally attached to the lid 464 and provided with a hook 476 that fits into an opening (not shown) on the back of the handle 106 to secure the lid 464 in the closed position. A spring 478 may be provided to bias the hook 476 into the opening. Of course, other latches or closing arrangements may be used instead.

The lid 464 may simply close and seal the top of the bag chamber 430, in which case it acts simply as a door to facilitate installation and removal of the filter bag 456. In the exemplary embodiment, however, the lid 464 includes an air passage 480 that extends between the dirty air inlet tube 466 and a bag attachment tube 482. The filter bag 456 includes a bag inlet 484 that fits over the bag attachment tube 482. The bag 456 may be installed by dropping it into the bag chamber 430 and pivoting the lid 464 closed, at which time the flange 457 holds the bag in place while the bag attachment tube 482 enters the bag inlet 484. The bag 456 and/or lid 464 may include one or more seals 486 to help seal this junction. A gasket 498 may also be provided around the perimeters of the bag chamber 430 and/or dirty air inlet tube 466 to seal these parts against the lid 464.

The air passage 480 may comprise a simple tube or an assembly of parts that form an air path. In the shown embodiment, the air passage 480 comprises an upper tube half 488 and a lower tube half 490 that fit together to form a continuous air path, but can be separated to remove any clogs that may accumulate therein. The upper tube half 488 is secured into the lid 464, or may be formed as part of the lid 464. The lower tube half 490 may be pivotally connected to the upper tube half 488 by one or more pivots 492. In this embodiment, the lower tube half 490 can be pivoted open, as shown in FIG. 6, to separate it from the upper tube half 488 and thereby allow access to clogs in the air path 480. A latch 494 may be provided to lock the upper and lower tube halves 488, 490 together until it is desired to separate them. In the shown embodiment, the lock 494 hooks onto the pivot 492 or the edge of the lower tube half 488 to prevent it from moving until the lock 494 has been moved. As spring 496 may be provided to hold the lock 494 in the locked position. In other embodiments, the lock 494 may be replaced by other holding devices, such as snap-fitting resilient tabs that hold the parts together until sufficient force is applied to them to separate them, or the lock 494 may be removed entirely. In addition, the lower tube half 490 may be slideably attached to the upper tube half, or may be completely removable. Furthermore, while the shown embodiment discloses the upper and lower tube halves 488, 490 as being complementary shapes that form a rounded tube, one or both of the tube halves 488, 490 may be shaped otherwise, provided they still cooperate together to form an enclosed air passage from the dirty air inlet tube 466 and the filter bag 456.

As noted above, the vacuum cleaner 100 includes a dirty air inlet tube 466 by which dirty air is conveyed to the filter bag 456 or whatever dirt separation system or systems may be used with the device. As shown, the dirty air inlet tube 466 may comprise a distinct tube-like structure mounted to or formed on the exterior of the main housing 402, or it may be formed internally. The tube 466 may be rigid, flexible, or any combination thereof, and may have transparent features and/or portals to detect and/or remove clogs.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 7 and 8, in an exemplary embodiment the dirty air inlet tube 466 may comprise a rigid tube 466 that is affixed to the side of the rear housing 104. Of course, it may be located on the front or rear of the housing 104 instead. The inlet tube 466 is fluidly connected to the base outlet 310 (FIG. 3) by way of a flexible connector hose 216, which provides a flexible joint that accommodates for the pivoting movement between the base 102 and the rear housing 104.

If desired, an accessory valve 218 may be provided in the flow path between the base 102 and the bag chamber 430. The accessory valve 218 may have two operating positions. In the first position, the valve 218 fluidly connects the connector hose 216 to the dirty air inlet tube 466, thereby forming a fluid flow path from the inlet nozzle 202 in the base 102 to the bag chamber 430. This may be referred to as the “floor cleaning” position. In the second position, the valve 218 connects an accessory hose 220 to the dirty air inlet tube 466. This may be referred to as the “accessory cleaning” position.

As shown in FIG. 2, the valve 218 of the shown exemplary embodiment is attached to the rear housing 104 between the dirty air inlet tube 466 and the flexible connector hose 216, but other locations are possible. The valve 218 comprises a valve door 702 that is movably mounted between first and second valve housing halves 704, 706. When assembled, the housing halves 704, 706 form a floor inlet 708 pipe to which the flexible connector hose 216 attaches, an outlet 710 that attaches to the bottom of the dirty air inlet tube 466, and an accessory inlet 712 to which the accessory hose 220 attaches. Between the floor inlet 708, outlet 710 and accessory inlet 712 is a valve chamber 714 in which the valve door 702 is movably mounted. The valve door 702 may be pivotally mounted by circular bosses 716, 718 at each end, or by other pivoting, sliding or movable attachments.

The valve door 702 is connected to a valve handle 722 located outside the valve housing by way of an opening 724 through the housing 704. A housing seal 726 may be provided to help prevent air from leaking through this opening 724 and into the valve chamber 714, which could reduce the vacuum cleaner's cleaning performance. The valve door 702 is operated by rotating the handle 722. When the handle 722 and valve door 702 are in a first position, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the valve door 702 blocks the floor inlet 708 and allows air to pass from the accessory inlet 712 to the outlet 710. This corresponds to the aforementioned accessory cleaning position. When it is desired to operate the vacuum cleaner 100 in the floor cleaning position, the user rotates the valve handle 722 until the valve door 702 blocks the accessory inlet 712 and allow air to pass from the floor inlet 708 to the outlet 710. Travel stops 802, 804 may be provided within the valve chamber 714 to limit the rotational movement of the valve door 702. Detents or the like may be provided to resiliently hold the valve door 702 in one or both of the cleaning positions, and a mechanism such as a spring or other resilient member may be provided to bias or automatically move the valve door 702 into one or the other cleaning position.

To help seal and block the floor inlet 708 and accessory inlet 712, the valve door 702 may include a door seal 728 that is wrapped around or adhered to the door 702. The door seal 728 moves with the door 702 and faces or abuts the floor inlet 708 and accessory inlet 712 to stop or impede air from passing therethrough. In other embodiments, the door seal 728 may be omitted, replaced, or supplemented by one or more static seals that surround the inlets themselves.

While the shown valve is expected to provide suitable performance for typical applications, any other suitable valve may be used, and additional or alternative valve operating positions may be provided. Variations and alternatives to the illustrated exemplary valve will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein.

Still referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the accessory hose 220 may comprise a flexible hose or any combination of flexible and rigid sections. In the exemplary embodiment, the accessory hose 220 comprises a mounting cuff 730 that fits over the accessory inlet 712, a flexible hose 732 attached at its proximal end to the mounting cuff 730, and a terminal cuff 734 attached to the distal end of the flexible hose 732. The terminal cuff 734 may include a partially-toroidal hose support 736 that is shaped to hold the flexible hose 732 and prevent it from kinking at its junction with the terminal cuff 734. The terminal cuff 734 may also include a grip or other useful features.

The accessory hose 220 may also include one or more rigid pipe sections, which may be fixed-length or telescoping. For example, a rigid inner pipe 738 may be attached to the terminal cuff 734, and a rigid outer pipe 740 may be provided to telescopically fit over the inner pipe 738. Any kind of telescoping mechanism may be provided to control the relative positions of the inner and outer pipes 738, 740. In the shown embodiment, the outer pipe 740 includes a latch 742 that selectively engages notches or holes 744 in the inner tube 738 to lock the outer pipe 740 in various locations along the length of the inner pipe 738. Infinitely-variable adjustment mechanisms are also know, and may be used with other embodiments.

To prevent the outer pipe 740 from rotating on the inner pipe 738, each pipe 738, 740 may be formed with a generally circular profile having a flat wall 738′, 740′. The resulting profile for each pipe 738, 740 is roughly D-shaped. The flat walls 738′, 740′ overlie one another and prevent relative rotation of the pipes 738, 740. Of course, the pipes 738, 740 may include other mechanisms to prevent relative rotation, such as ovate or other non-circular profiles or a corresponding tang and groove arrangement. If desired, the telescoping pipe section (or a fixed-length section, if one is used) may be removable from the terminal cuff 734. Mechanisms for providing a detachable connection between the terminal cuff 734 and a rigid pipe section are known in the art.

The rigid pipe section terminates at an accessory inlet nozzle 746. In the exemplary embodiment, a sliding brush 748 may be provided to selectively retract behind and extend beyond the accessory inlet nozzle 746. As shown, the sliding brush 748 comprises a generally tubular brush body 750 that slidingly fits over the outer tube 740. The brush body may be shaped or configured so that it does not rotate on the outer tube 740. A brush latch 752 is provided on the brush body 750, which latch 752 selectively engages a first opening 754 in the outer tube 740 to hold the brush 748 in a retracted position (as shown), and a second opening 756 in the outer tube 740 to hold the brush 748 in an extended position. When the brush 748 is in the extended position, bristles 758 extending from the brush body 750 extend beyond the accessory inlet nozzle 746 and are available to help clean surfaces such as upholstery, curtains, and the like. Numerous variations on this design may also be used. For example, the brush latch 752 may be located remotely from the brush itself, or springs may be provided to bias the brush towards or away from the extended position. Other variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present teachings.

The telescoping tubes 738, 740 may be stored on the vacuum cleaner 100 by inserting them into a tube cuff 760, which may be formed, for example, as part of the dirty air inlet tube 466 or as a separate part. In the shown embodiment, the outer tube 740 is shaped and sized to snap into the tube cuff 760 to hold it in place during floor cleaning. In addition, the vacuum cleaner 100 may include a tube end mount 762 that holds the end of the rigid pipe 740. In the exemplary embodiment, the end mount 762 is formed as part of the accessory valve housing 704, 706, but this is not required. The exemplary end mount 762 may have an opening into which the outer pipe 740 fits so that the end mount 762 surrounds the accessory inlet nozzle 746, and may alternatively or additionally include a tang 764 that fits within the inlet nozzle 746, as shown in FIG. 8. The end mount 762 may optionally be shaped to receive the inlet nozzle 746 with a slight interference fit to provide snap fitment between these parts. The end mount 762 may be configured to allow air to pass into the accessory inlet nozzle 746 when it is mounted in the end mount 762 to prevent the vacuum fan from losing a flow of cooling air if the user places the accessory valve 218 in the accessory cleaning position, but fails to remove the accessory hose 220 from the end mount 762. Such an airflow may be provided by providing one or more air gap between the outer tube 740 and the end mount 762, or providing an auxiliary opening into the end mount.

While the foregoing tube cuff 760 and end mount 762 are expected to be suitable for mounting an accessory hose 220 to a vacuum cleaner 100, other or additional mounting arrangements may be used in other embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 9, an adapter tool 900 may be provided to attach the D-shaped outer tube 740 shown in FIG. 7 to conventional vacuum cleaner tools having circular cross-sectional profiles or other profiles. The adapter tool 900 comprises a D-shaped outlet 902 that is shaped and sized to slip into or over the end of the outer tube 740, and a circular inlet 904 that is shaped and sized to slip into or over a conventional vacuum cleaner tool (not shown). The outlet 902 and inlet 904 are joined by a transition region 906 that changes gradually or abruptly from the D- shaped profile to the circular profile.

The present disclosure describes a number of new, useful and nonobvious features and/or combinations of features that may be used alone, together, with upright vacuum cleaners, canister vacuum cleaners or other types of cleaning device, or in other ways. The embodiments described herein are all exemplary, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions in any way. It will be appreciated that the inventions described herein can be modified and adapted in various ways and for different uses, and all such modifications and adaptations are included in the scope of this disclosure and the appended claims.

Vacuum Cleaner Cleanout System

Information

Publication Number

Date Filed

Date Published

Inventors

CPC

US Classifications

International Classifications

Abstract

Description

Claims